Brazilian club Chapecoense aboard plane that crashed was becoming more popular

The Associated Press , KHOU12:50 PM. CST November 29, 2016

Players of Brazil's Chapecoense celebrate after defeating Argentina's Independiente in a penalty shoot-out during their Sudamericana Cup match at the Arena Conda stadium, in Chapeco, Brazil, on September 28, 2016. (Photo: NELSON ALMEIDA, This content is subject to copyright.)

RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) — The Brazilian soccer teamaboard the plane that crashed in Colombia was gaining respect and support from across Brazil even though it was a small club with a short history.

Chapecoense, founded in 1973, was preparing to play in the Copa Sudamericana final, South America’s second biggest club competition after the Copa Libertadores. The team was flying to Medellinto face Atletico Nacional on Wednesday in the first leg of the final.

Members of the Chapecoense team were among the 81 people on board the chartered aircraft that crashed on its way to Medellin’s international airport. Colombian police said there were some survivors.

“This is a very, very sad day for football,” FIFA President Gianni Infantino said in a statement. “At this difficult time our thoughts are with the victims, their families and friends. FIFA would like to extend its most heartfelt condolences to the fans of Chapecoense, the football community and media organizations concerned in Brazil.”

Chapecoense reached Brazil’s first division in 2014 and was in ninth place ahead of this weekend’s last round of games. On its way to the continental final, the team known as Chape beat major clubs such as Argentina’s San Lorenzo and Independiente.

Chape strikers Bruno Rangel and Kempes, both 34 years old, are among the top scorers in the Brazilian league, with 10 and nine goals, respectively. One of the team’s top players is 35-year-old midfielder Cleber Santana, who played for Atletico Madridfrom 2007-10.

Another team leader was defender Helio Hermito Zampier Neto — commonly known as Net.

Among the passengers on the flight was Mario Sergio Pontes de Paiva, a former soccer player who worked as commentator for Fox Sports.

Known as Mario Sergio, he played briefly for Brazil’s national team in the early 1980s and had a long career as a midfielder and coach with many Brazilian clubs. He last coached Brazilian club Internacional in 2009 and Ceara in 2010.